Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02966693 2017-05-03
1 TONNEAU SYSTEM FOR USE WITH A PICKUP TRUCK
2 TECHNICAL FIELD
3 [0001] The following relates generally to tonneaus. In particular, the
following relates to a tonneau
4 system for use with a pickup truck.
SUMMARY
6 [0002] In one aspect, a tonneau system for use with a pickup truck is
provided, comprising: a
7 tonneau cover, comprising: a front cross-member; a primary tonneau
section hingedly coupled to
8 the front cross-member; and at least one secondary tonneau section
hingedly coupled in series to
9 the first tonneau section; a first bracket extending from the front cross-
member proximal to a first
end thereof for securing the first end of the front cross-member to a first
side wall of a cargo box of
11 a pickup truck when the front cross-member is positioned atop a bulkhead
of the cargo box; and a
= 12 second bracket extending from the front cross-member proximal
to a second end thereof opposite
13 the first end for securing the .second end of the front cross-member to
a second side wall of the
14 cargo box of the pickup truck when the front cross-member is positioned
atop the bulkhead of the
cargo box.
16 [0003] The front cross-member of the tonneau cover can be only secured
to the pickup truck via
17 the first bracket and the second bracket.
18 [0004] The front cross-Member of the tonneau cover can be unsecured to
the bulkhead of the
19 cargo box.
[0005] The front cross-member of the tonneau cover can be clear of the main
opening of the cargo
21 box when the front cross-member is secured to the pickup truck via the
first bracket and the
22 second bracket.
23 [0006] The tonneau system can further comprise: a first side rail being
securable to the first side
24 wall of the pickup truck, the first bracket being securable to the first
side rail; and a second side rail
being securable to the second side wall of the pickup truck, the second
bracket being securable to
26 the second side rail.
27 [0007] The front cross-member can comprise: at least one channel for
receiving and securely
28 retaining an end portion of the brackets.
29 [0008] The front cross-member can further comprise: a lip partially
enclosing the channel.
1
CA 02966693 2017-05-03
1 [0009] The front cross-member can comprise: a gap in the lip to permit
engagement of the bracket
2 with the channel.
3 [0010] These and other aspects are contemplated and described herein. It
will be appreciated that
=
4 the foregoing summary sets out representative aspects of a tonneau system
for use with a pickup
truck to assist skilled readers in understanding the following detailed
description.
6 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
7 [0011] A greater understanding of the embodiments will be had with
reference to the Figures, in
8 which:
9 [0012] Figure 1 is a partial rear perspective view of a tonneau cover
being positioned atop of a
bulkhead of a cargo box of a pickup truck in accordance with one embodiment
thereof;
11 [0013] Figure 2 is a partial rear perspective view of the tonneau cover
of Figure 1 having been
12 placed atop of the bulkhead of the cargo box of the pickup truck;
13 [0014] Figure 3a is a detailed side perspective view of a bracket being
aligned for insertion into a
14 channel of a front cross-member of the tonneau cover of Figure 2;
[0015] Figure 3b is a detailed side perspective view of the bracket being
inserted into the channel
16 of the front cross-member of Figure 3a;
17 [0016] Figure 3c is a detailed side perspective view of the bracket
having been inserted into the
18 channel of the front cross-member of Figure 3a;
19 [0017] Figure 3d is a detailed side perspective view of the bracket
having been moved partially
along the channel of the front cross-member of Figure 3a;
.
21 [0018] Figure 4a shows a section view of the bracket inserted into the
channel of the front cross-
22 member of Figure 3c;
23 [0019] Figure 4b shows a section view of the bracket having been moved
partially along the
24 channel of the front cross-member of Figure 3d;
[0020] Figure 5a shows a partial rear perspective view of the tonneau cover
atop of the bulkhead
26 of the cargo box of the pickup truck wherein the bracket is being
aligned along the channel of the
27 front cross-member with a side rail, and a prop rod connected to the
side rail is being aligned with a
28 connection knob of the tonneau cover; and
2
CA 02966693 2017-05-03
1 [0021] Figure 5b shows a partial rear perspective view of the tonneau
cover atop of the bulkhead
2 of the cargo box of the pickub truck wherein the bracket is being secured
to the side rail and the
3 prop rod is connected to the connection knob of the tonneau cover.
4 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] For simplicity and clarity of illustration, where considered
appropriate, reference numerals
6 may be repeated among the Figures to indicate corresponding or analogous
elements. In addition,
7 numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough
understanding of the
8 embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of
ordinary skill in the art
9 that the embodiments described herein may be practiced without these
specific details. In other
instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been
described in detail so
11 as not to obscure the embodiments described herein. Also, the
description is not to be considered
12 as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein.
13 [0023] Various terms used throughout the present description may be read
and understood as
14 follows, unless the context indicates otherwise: "or" as used throughout
is inclusive, as though
written "and/or"; singular articles and pronouns as used throughout include
their plural forms, and
16 vice versa; similarly, gendered pronouns include their counterpart
pronouns so that pronouns
17 should not be understood as limiting anything described herein to use,
implementation,
18 performance, etc. by a single gender; "exemplary" should be understood
as "illustrative" or
19 "exemplifying" and not necessarily as "preferred" over other
embodiments. Further definitions for
terms may be set out herein; these may apply to prior and subsequent instances
of those terms, as
21 will be understood from a reading of the present description.
22 [0024] The following provides a tonneau system for use with a pickup
truck. The described
23 tonneau system includes a tonneau cover having a front cross-member, a
primary tonneau section
24 hingedly coupled to the front cross-member, and at least one secondary
tonneau section hingedly
coupled in series to the first tonneau section, a first bracket securable to
the front cross-member
26 proximal to a first end thereof for securing the first end of the front
cross-member to a first side wall
= 27 of a cargo box of a pickup truck when the front cross-member is
positioned atop a bulkhead of the
28 cargo box, and a second bracket securable to the front cross-member
proximal to a second end
29 thereof opposite the first end for securing the second end of the front
cross-member to a second
side wall of the cargo box of the pickup truck when the front cross-member is
positioned atop the
31 bulkhead of the cargo box.
3
CA 02966693 2017-05-03
1 [0025] By securing the front cross-member of the tonneau cover to the
side walls of the cargo box,
2 the front cross member of the tonneau cover can be placed atop of the
bulkhead, instead of inside
3 the cargo box at the front thereof. This reduces damage done to the
pickup truck and the tonneau
4 cover when cargo inside the cargo box of the pickup truck shifts forward,
such as, for example,
during heavy braking. By not placing the front cross-member inside the cargo
box and, instead,
6 atop of the bulkhead, the shifting cargo collides with the front of the
cargo box, which is generally
7 better suited to withstand such impacts. Further, as the front cross-
member of the tonneau cover
8 is clear of a main opening of the cargo box, it does not impede access to
the contents of the cargo
9 box. Still further, installation is simplified as the tonneau cover does
not need to be secured to the
bulkhead of the cargo box in its position on top of it.
= 11 [0026] A tonneau cover 20 of a tonneau system for: use with a
pickup truck is shown in Figure 1.
12 The tonneau cover 20 includes a cover membrane 24 that spans a frame 28.
Cover membrane 24
13 can be made of a rigid or flexible material, such as plastic, aluminum,
vinyl, etc. Frame 28 includes
14 tonneau section frame members 32 and hinge spacers 36 that are hingedly
connected to permit
sections of tonneau cover 20 defined by tonneau section frame members 32 to
nestedly stack, as
16 shown. Hinge spacers 36 space the stacked tonneau sections to permit
nesting of other tonneau
17 sections therebetween. Tonneau cover 28 can have a plurality of
sections, but in the illustrated
18 example, has four tonneau sections.
19 [0027] Rubber weather stripping 40 is placed on an underside of tonneau
section frame
members 32 and hinge spacers 36 so that it forms a continuous weather-
resistant seal around a
21 bottom periphery of tonneau cover 20 when deployed over a cargo box 44
of the pickup truck. A
22 pair of slam latchbolts 48 are shown positioned along a medial cross-
member 52 proximal to a
23 corresponding pair of tonneau section frame members 32 that medial cross-
member 52 spans.
24 Slam latchbolts 48 can be opened via a latch cable 56 coupled to both of
slam latchbolts 48. A
rear-most section of tonneau cover 20 includes another pair of slam latchbolts
and a latch cable for
26 locking tonneau cover 20 over cargo box 44.
27 [0028] Tonneau cover 28 can be unfurled from the nested stacked state
shown in Figure 1 to an
28 expanded state, in which it is deployed over and covers cargo box 44. In
the expanded state, slam
29 latchbolts 48 and those of the rear-most section of tonneau cover 20
engage catches to lock
tonneau cover 20 atop of cargo box 44. Release of slam latchbolts 48 via
pulling on latch cables
31 56 enables nested stacking of tonneau cover 20.
32 [0029] The two forward-most tonneau section frame members 32 defining a
first tonneau section
33 are hingedly coupled to a front cross-member 60 (hidden behind a fold of
cover membrane 24).
4
CA 02966693 2017-05-03
1 The remaining three tonneau sections are hingedly coupled to the first
tonneau section. Front
2 cross-member 60 also has rubber weather stripping along a bottom surface.
Two connection
3 knobs 64 project inwardly from tonneau section frame members 32.
4 [0030] During installation, the nested stacked tonneau cover 20 is
oriented vertically as shown so
that front cross-member 60 is at a lower end thereof. Tonneau cover 20 is then
lowered onto an
6 upper surface of a bulkhead 68 of cargo box 44, with its corners being
aligned with a pair of
7 positions 72a, 72b on the upper surface of bulkhead 68.
8 [0031] Figure 2 shows tonneau cover 20 resting atop of bulkhead 68 after
being lowered. A lower
9 fold of cover membrane 24 is lifted, exposing a back side of front cross-
member 60.
[0032] Figure 3a shows a central portion of a back side of front cross-member
60 in greater detail.
11 As shown, front cross-member 60 has a channel 76 running lengthwise
along its back side.
12 Channel 76 has a lower lip 80 and an upper lip 84 that partially enclose
channel 76. A gap 88 is
13 centrally located in upper lip 84.
14 [0033] A bracket 92 is shown being aligned with gap 88. Bracket 92 has a
flat portion 96 and an
end portion 100 at one end of flat portion 96. End portion 100 has a
horizontal T-shaped cross-
16 section corresponding generally to the cross-section of channel 76. A
pair of holes 104 is provided
17 along flat portion 96.
=
18 [0034] Figure 3b shows end portion 100 of bracket 92 being inserted into
channel 76 via gap 88.
19 The bottom portion of the T-shaped cross-section of end portion 100 is
raised over and past lower
lip 80. The top portion of the T-shaped cross-section of end portion 100 is
aligned with gap 88 in
21 upper lip 84 as the bottom portion of the T-shaped cross-section of end
portion 100 is placed
22 behind lower lip 80 in channel 76.
23 [0035] Figure 3c shows end portion 100 of bracket 92 inserted fully into
channel 76. Once end
24 portion 100 of bracket 92 is placed in channel 76, it is slid along
channel 76 left or right towards an
end of front cross-member 60. As end portion 100 is slid laterally, the top
portion of the T-shaped
26 cross-section of end portion 100 engages upper lip 84 to prohibit
perpendicular exit of end portion
27 100 from channel 76.
28 [0036] Figure 3d shows bracket 92 having been slid to the left of gap 88
wherein end portion 100
29 engages lower lip 80 and upper lip 84 of channel 76. As shown, bracket
92 extends backwardly
from front cross-member 60.
5
CA 02966693 2017-05-03
1 [0037] Upon insertion and sliding of one bracket 92 to a side of gap 88
towards a first end of front
2 cross-member 60, a second bracket 92 is inserted into channel 76 in the
same manner and slid to
3 the other side of gap 88 towards a second end of front cross-member 60
opposite the first end.
4 [0038] Figure 4a shows a sectional view along line 4a-4a in Figure 3c. As
shown, end portion
100 is inserted into channel 76, with the bottom portion of the T-shaped cross-
section of end
6 portion 100 being engaged by lower lip 80, and the top portion of the T-
shaped cross-section of
7 end portion 100 being in gap 88.
8 [0039] Figure 4b shows a sectional view along line 4h-4h in Figure 3d. As
shown, end portion
9 100 is inserted into channel 76, with the bottom portion of the T-shaped
cross-section of end
portion 100 being engaged by lower lip 80, and the top portion of the T-shaped
cross-section of
11 end portion 100 being engaged by upper lip 84, thereby securing bracket
92 from perpendicular
12 exit from channel 76.
13 [0040] Figure 5a shows bracket 92 having been inserted into channel 76
of front cross-member 60
14 and slid towards a longitudinal end of front cross-member 60. A side
rail 108 is shown secured to
a side wall 112 of cargo box 44 via a clamp 116. A second side rail 108 is
secured to an opposite
16 side wall 112 of cargo box 44. Side rails 108 generally have an inverted
L-shaped cross-section
17 providing a top wall and a side wall. The side wall of each side rail
108 is clamped to one of the
18 side walls 112 of the cargo box 44 of the pickup truck such that the top
surface of the top wall is
19 generally flush with the top of the side wall 112 of the cargo box 44. A
pair of holes 120 passes
through the top wall of each side rail 108 near a front longitudinal end. Side
rails 108 include
21 catches for engaging slam latchbolts 48 when tonneau cover 20 is in an
expanded state atop of
22 cargo box 44.
23 [0041] A connection knob 124 of each side rail 108 projects into cargo
box 44 below the top
24 surface of the side rail 108. A prop rod 128 is snap fit onto each
connection knob 124 at a lower
end 132 to form a ball-and-socket joint, and is aligned at an upper end 136
with corresponding
26 connection knob 64 of tonneau cover 20 when it is desired to support
tonneau cover 20 in an
27 upright position, as shown.
28 [0042] Each bracket 92 is slid along towards one of side rails 108 to
align holes 104 with holes 120
29 of side rail 108. The securing of brackets 92 in the channel 76 permits
their positioning to be
adjusted to employ the tonneau system with pickup trucks having a variety of
cargo box widths.
31 [0043] Figure 5b shows one of brackets 92 having been slid along channel
76 to align holes 104
32 with holes 120 of side rail 108. In this position, bolts 140 are
inserted through holes 104 and 120,
6
CA 02966693 2017-05-03
1 and are secured via nuts 144. In this way, brackets 92 secure tonneau
cover 20 to side rails 108
2 that are secured to side walls 112 of the cargo box 44, thus securing
tonneau cover 20 to side
3 walls 112 of cargo box 44.
4 [0044] Upper ends 136 of prop rods 128 are snap fit atop of connection
knobs 64 of tonneau cover
20 as shown to support tonneau cover 20 in an upright position, as shown. They
then can be
6 unsnapped and lowered into cargo box 44 when it is desired to deploy
tonneau cover 20 across
7 the top of cargo box 44 and over the main opening of cargo box 44 to
protect the contents of cargo
8 box 44 from the elements, theft, and accidental loss during operation of
the pickup truck.
9 [0045] By securing front cross-member 60 of tonneau cover 20 atop of
bulkhead 68 of cargo box
44 such that front cross-member 60 is clear of the main opening of cargo box
44, the extraction of
11 the contents of cargo box 44 is not impeded by tonneau cover 20 at the
front of cargo box 44.
12 Further, cargo in the cargo box 44 that shifts forward during
deceleration of the pickup truck
13 collides with the front of cargo box 44 and not with a cross-member 60,
thus preventing damage to
14 tonneau cover 20 and the pickup truck.
[0046] Further, by securing front cross-member 60 of tonneau cover 20 to the
side walls of cargo
16 box 44, its installation can be facilitated.
17 [0047] While, in the above-described embodiments, the brackets are
described as separate
18 elements that are secured to the front cross-member by inserting them in
a channel of the front
19 cross-member, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the brackets
can be secured to the front
cross-member in other ways. For example, they may be secured to the front
cross-member via
21 fasteners. Further, the brackets can be made integrally with the front
cross-member.
22 [0048] Still further, the brackets may be secured directly to the side
walls of the pickup truck. For
23 example, the brackets can include clamps or clampable elements that can
be clamped to the side
24 walls of the cargo box of a pickup truck. In another alternative
embodiment, the brackets can be
fastened via fasteners such as bolts or the like to the side walls of the
cargo box.
26 [0049] The front cross-member can have more than one channel for
receiving brackets. Further
27 various configurations of connectors for connecting the brackets to the
front cross-member can be
28 used.
29 [0050] Instead of employing a peripheral frame, the tonneau cover can be
made of rigid panels
and spacer members hingedly coupled along their joints.
7
CA 02966693 2017-05-03
1 [0051] Although the invention has been described with reference to
certain specific embodiments,
2 various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the
art. The scope of the claims
3 should not be limited by the preferred embodiments, but should be given
the broadest
4 interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.
8
